The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the biggest favorites on the board in Week 1. That\u2019s because they\u2019re viewed as a Super Bowl contender while the Washington Redskins are somewhere in the midst of a rebuild with journeyman Case Keenum starting under center. Can the Eagles get the win and cover a big number of will the Redskins be a thorn in their side?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Eagles are no sure thing. They are probably the better team on paper here, but Carson Wentz is a mystery after a series of injuries and inconsistencies which make him hard to peg heading into a season opener. He could be great, but that is not a safe assumption to make right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other really big part of the picture for the Redskins here is that with Montez Sweat (picked in the first round of the NFL Draft) joining an already-stacked defensive line, the Redskins have the pieces on defense to make life hell for Wentz and create a very low-scoring game the Redskins could legitimately win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is nothing new in the NFL or at any other level of football: first games of seasons are often very ragged and unpredictable. Teams might get into a groove and work seamlessly with each other in October or November, but in early September, they are often disorganized. The Redskins have the caliber of defense which can ruin the Eagles\u2019 offensive game plan and punch Wentz in the mouth. As long as the Redskins don\u2019t commit any turnovers and can get a plus-two or plus-three turnover margin, they will be right there in the fourth quarter with a chance to not only cover, but win the game outright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Eagles\u2019 best strength is Case Keenum, the Washington quarterback who did so well with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017 but then crashed and burned with the Denver Broncos last season. Keenum\u2019s 2017 season with the Vikings has to be viewed right now as the exception to his career, not the indicator of what one should normally expect from the University of Houston product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember that Keenum\u2019s career went nowhere in the seasons before Minnesota, not just last year with Denver. Keenum struggled with the Los Angeles Rams, which was precisely why his one amazing year with the Vikings caught everyone in the NFL by surprise. And who is he exactly working with in terms of targets in Washington? Paul Richardson is returning from a major injury that cost him last season but who else? Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Reed is still recovering from his seventh concussion and is questionable for Week 1. The Eagles defense simply needs to stop the run and they\u2019re in great shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Eagles have to figure that they can limit Washington to 14 points or fewer. A merely decent offensive performance \u2013 24 points \u2013 would be enough to cover the spread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Keenum factor means Washington is not likely to score much. And they know what they have at quarterback, so their plan won\u2019t be to come out slinging. They\u2019re run the ball, play defense and aim for good field position. That means the under looks great<\/a> in this game. With two solid defenses and just one capable offense, which might be rusty, we should see less than 45 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRedskins vs Eagles Pick: Eagles 23, Redskins 13<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n